Regional

1:42 pm

Tue January 11, 2011

Las Cruces Area Standoff With Armed Man

Las Cruces – Dona Ana County Sheriff's Deputies peacefully resolved an hours-long standoff with an emotionally disturbed person near the village of Dona Ana early this morning.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. Jan. 10, Dona Ana County sheriff's deputies responded to the Evergreen Mobile Home Park at 6345 Dona Ana Road for a report of a stolen vehicle.

While en route, deputies were advised that the owner of the vehicle was searching the area armed with a handgun. When deputies arrived at the scene, they quickly located the vehicle but not the owner and began a search of the area.

Shortly thereafter deputies made contact with the callers who stated that the subject was their son who lived with them. The father stated that the man was emotionally disturbed and had been agitated throughout the day. He allegedly made threats towards his family and himself, and they were afraid for their safety.

They indicated that the subject was armed and inside the residence, refusing to come out. Deputies escorted the family to safety and set up a perimeter around the residence and evacuated the surrounding homes as a precaution. The Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department's Special Response and Crisis Negotiation Teams were called to assist. During the course of the standoff, the subject brandished what appeared to be a weapon several times.

Crisis negotiators were in contact with the subject for nearly four hours and successfully negotiated the subject's surrender to the Special Response Team at approximately 2:15 a.m., with no injuries to the subject, deputies or bystanders. Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes after the Emergency Service Units cleared the scene.

The suspect, Juan Carlos Manquera, 33, was taken into custody and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center under a $75,000 cash-only bond on the authority of Judge Kent Wingenroth. Manquera has been charged with:

Five third-degree felony counts of aggravated assault against a police officer with a deadly weapon

One fourth-degree felony count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

One fourth-degree felony count of tampering with evidence

One fourth-degree felony count of felon in possession of a firearm

One misdemeanor county of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer

One petty misdemeanor county of negligent use of a firearm while intoxicated